Dylan Bettencourt
Former Paralympic champion James Brown has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after he super-glued himself to an airplane during an Extinction Rebellion protest.
Visually impaired Brown climbed onto a British Airways plane at London City airport in 2019. He glued his right hand to a plane headed to Amsterdam and also wedged his phone in the door so it could not close. Brown, who was born in Northern Ireland, spent an hour on the top of the plane before authorities were able to remove him.
Brown was convicted in July this year, and sentenced on Friday. He will now serve half of his year in jail at the Southwark Crown Court.
The Extinction Rebellion was founded in October 2018 is a global movement that aims to create awareness for climate change in a non-violent manner .
Brown’s stunt cost the airline R800,000. Police said that he disrupted up to 300 passengers.
“You cynically used your disability to put your plan into action,” Judge Gregory Perrins said.
The former double gold medalist said he glued himself to the plane because he had to do something spectacular to bring awareness about climate change.
Judge Perrins said: “The right to protest does not entitle you to cause major widespread disruption to a major airport… simply because you think it is the right thing to do.”
Brown competed in the 1984 Paralympics where he won two gold medals and many years later in 2012, he won a bronze medal at the 2012 games staged in London.
Image source: @BBC
